Noynoy’s net rating dips amid impeach battle — SWS poll

The satisfaction rating on President Aquino dipped to a low of a net 49 points during the impeachment trial period with the Social Weather Station (SWS) survey held between March 10 to 13 showing 68 percent respondents satisfied with his performance against 19 percent dissatisfied.

It was the second lowest net rating for Aquino next to a net 46 points in June last year. The net rating is obtained from the differ-ence of respondents who are satisfied with his performance against those who are not.

Most of the respondents view Aquino as a president of the middle class, the survey claimed.

The latest survey’s result was significant since it showed Aquino slipping from mostly “very good” scores, the highest being a net 64 points in November 2010 since assuming the presidency in June 2010.

The SWS classifies net satisfaction scores of +70 and above as “excellent”; +50 to +69, “very good”; +30 to +49, “good”; +10 to +29, “moderate”, +9 to -9, “neutral”; -10 to -29, “poor”; -30 to -49, “bad”; -50 to -69, “very bad”; -70 and below, “execrable.”

Satisfaction also fell in the rest of the country: it was +53 (69 percent satisfied, 16 percent dissatisfied) in Mindanao, three points

below December’s +56 (71 percent satisfied, 14 percent dissatisfied, correctly rounded); +52 (72 percent satisfied, 20 percent dissatisfied) in Metro Manila, two points below the +54 (70 percent satisfied, 16 percent dissatisfied) in the previous quarter; and +50 (67 percent satisfied, 17 percent dissatisfied) in the Visayas, nine points lower than the +59 (71 percent satisfied, 13 percent dissatisfied, correctly rounded) three months earlier.

It is in the urban areas where Aquino’s net satisfaction rating is on a slide as it fell to a net 45 (68 percent satisfied, 23 percent dissatisfied), seven points below December’s net 52 (68 percent satisfied, 16 percent dissatisfied).

It also weakened among the class D or masa with a 12-point drop from December’s net 58 (72 percent satisfied, 13 percent dissatisfied) to a net 46 (67 percent satisfied, 20 percent dissatisfied, correctly rounded) in the latest survey.

Asked if Aquino was serving the interests of the rich, the middle class or the poor, 52 percent of respondents said they believed he favored the middle class, down slightly from the 55 percent notched in September 2010 when the question was last raised.

Those who said the president was serving the poor fell by 13 points to 35 percent from 48 percent, while those who said he was serving the rich rose four points to 27 percent from 23 percent.

Aquino, who had basked in overwhelming poll ratings in the past that had even catapulted him to the presidency, yesterday downplayed the result of the lastest SWS survey.

“We shouldn’t mind that. We shouldn’t look at governance as survey-driven. Governance should come from what is right as against what is wrong. So we will push for what is right even when doing so would entail sacrifices and be beneficial to the greater number – that should be the basis or criteria (of what good governance is),” he told reporters during a round of inspection of passenger terminals at the North Harbor, NAIA and Araneta Center.

“But we still need to look at the specifics (why that drop occurred). It will be good to see the details,” he said.

But he did point out that what should be given attention is his administration’s efforts to keep inflation lower than its own targets.

“We are below the inflation target. Before, if fuel prices go up, so will the prices of other commodities. But now, things have changed. Inflation on basic commodities due to higher fuel prices no longer occur,” he said.

The drop in the survey rating of Aquino was expected as all if not most of the president of the republic experience the same phenomenon in the middle of their terms, according to Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone, adding that it is normal for the president’s satisfaction rating to go down as history would show.

“I think the drop in the satisfaction rating of Pnoy was expected, first historically, it is the trend for past presidents as they approach their midterm in office,” Evardone said yesterday.

Evardone also said that the continued rise in the prices of gasoline and other petroleum products had contributed to the downtrend. He said that it is beyond the president’s control.

“The past quarter saw the series of fuel price increases which are beyond the control of the President. Of course, the people won’t accept the fact that prices of oil are being dictated by international market forces. So, this can be the main reason for the drop,” Evardone said.

Survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) last March 10 to 13 showed that Aquino’s satisfaction rating dropped to +49 percent from +58 during the same period last year. The +49 percent, according to SWS, is the result of the 68 percent satisfied and 19 percent dissatisfied with the performance of the president.

Meanwhile, Zambales Rep. Ma. Milagros Magsaysay of Zambales lambasted the Aquino government for its alleged failure to come up with concrete plans to address the power crisis.

“It’s obvious in her answer that they are not doing anything to fix the problem. It also shows the arrogance and uncaring attitude this government has,” Magsaysay said.

She took a swipe at the majority bloc for its proposal to give the president emergency powers to address the Mindanao power crisis.

For the militant bloc, the solution to the power crisis is solar power.

They said that the Aquino government should encourage the use of solar power as a means to reduce electricity consumption.

House Bill (HB) 5405, filed Reps. Neri Colmenares of Bayan Muna, Luzviminda Ilagan and Emmi de Jesus of Gabriela, Raymond Palatino of Kabataan, Rafael Mariano of Anakpawis and Antonio Tinio provides for giving incentives and credit facilities for consumers of small solar power systems in the country.

“There is hereby established under this Act a program, to be jointly administered by the NREB, the Pag-IBIG Fund, the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), and the Social Security System (SSS), which shall provide for a solar rooftop credit and financing program, accessible to all eligible Pag-IBIG, GSIS and SSS members,” the bill stated.

“Such program includes but is not limited to the installation of small solar power systems as an allowable expense for home construction and improvement,” the authors of the bill said. -Rocky G. Nazareno and Gerry Baldo, Daily Tribune